


encounter

by Bleutea



Category: Dreamcatcher (Korea Band)
Genre: :), Cuties, F/F, Fluff, No angst zone, idolxdoctor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-15 16:47:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29439225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bleutea/pseuds/Bleutea
Summary: "Have we met before?""Nope."OR Bora is an idol and Siyeon knows absolutely nothing about idols
Relationships: Kim Bora | SuA/Lee Siyeon
Comments: 51
Kudos: 242





	1. chance meeting

Siyeon yawns into the palm of her hand. Her study session ran past the time she set for herself and before she knew it, it’s already nearing dinner time. Her friend is not going to be happy with the fact that she already missed their designated dinner time. 

Siyeon sighs and tiredly hoists her textbooks further up her arm. She opens the door leading outside to the university lawn area when she sees a large crowd gathering by a stage. There are strobe lights moving about and loudspeakers playing dance music. Absently, Siyeon remembers seeing a flyer for a friday event. Something about performers coming in to entertain the students of Yonsei University after a grueling exam period. 

But for her, the loud music and hyped up atmosphere are not to her taste so she tries her best to walk quickly through the lawn. It proves to be a difficult task as bodies are swaying to the hypnotizing music and drinks are being passed around. A few students from Siyeon’s program recognize her and try to get her to party. 

“Er, no thank you.” Siyeon declines a suspiciously blue drink in her batchmate’s hands. 

The girl doesn’t give up and slings her arm around Siyeon’s shoulder. It’s a bit awkward considering the girl is much shorter than Siyeon is, making her bend down uncomfortably. All she can think about is how dangerously close the drink is from spilling onto her expensive textbook. Either that or her clumsy self will drop the books onto the dirt. 

“C’mon Si! Lighten up! Free drinks! Great music! Hot dancers!” The girl practically shouts into her ears as if she couldn’t see everything going on around her herself. Siyeon sighs, already feeling the annoyance creep up. She didn’t like people being so pushy with her nor did she like to be touched by someone she didn’t consider a close friend. 

“No thank you. And don’t call me ‘Si’. My name is Siyeon” Siyeon says with the coldest stare she could muster. She wonders if the girl could even register anything she was saying or doing considering she just took a swig of that blue drink in her hand. 

“Lame.” The girl finally lets her go and goes into the crowd to do who knows what. Siyeon dusts her shoulders off and reminds herself to get this jacket dry cleaned at least three times to get rid of the gross germs from that girl. Siyeon continues on her way, ignoring random catcalls and strangers bumping into her. 

_ This night can’t get any worse, _ Siyeon thinks but then the music switches into a song Siyeon has heard in passing. Absently, she takes a glance at the stage when the crowd goes wild at a new person stepping up. 

The girl on stage is dressed in a white button up shirt with black underneath and black shorts. Her blonde hair and smokey makeup gives her a dark but seductive look. She begins to dance to the Billie Eilish song, causing the crowd to roar. Siyeon has to admit, she is a tad impressed by the dancer as it is obvious how much the other girl worked to reach that level of performance. 

But Siyeon is only interested in getting home and sleeping so she continues on her way out. By some stroke of fate, Siyeon decides to give one last glance to the girl on stage. To her surprise, they make eye contact in that brief window. 

Siyeon breaks the weird eye contact and leaves as if nothing happened, making the girl on stage wonder about the girl with a cold expression.

\--

“Minji, am I a bad dancer?”

“Bora, it’s 2am, please go to sleep.”

“Okay.”

Bora turned on her side to look at her friend in the dark.Their performances went well tonight and Bora couldn’t be more proud. Really, she couldn’t. But she also couldn’t help but think of that student she saw in passing. Bora remembers almost messing up her own choreography at the disinterest she saw in those eyes. Admittingly, it was dark so maybe Bora just misinterpreted the situation. 

Deep down, she knows that still isn’t the right explanation. 

“Minji, am I ugly?”

“For god's sake, Bora!” A pillow hit the shorter girl on the head, shutting her up. 

\--

They meet again, much to Bora’s surprise. It’s her day off so she’s wandering the city alone, enjoying the anonymity the mask and hoodie granted her. She enters a ramen shop slash cafe that lets customers customize their ramen to their liking. It was pretty popular among her friends due to the similar taste it has with traditional Japanese ramen.

The oak interior of the shop makes it seem like a cafe but the counters are filled with ramen ingredients and nutrition facts. On a normal day, Bora wouldn’t allow herself to indulge like this lest she gain weight and get scolded by her management. But just one day wouldn’t hurt right? She resolves to work out twice as hard tonight to make up for it. 

Bora is looking at a selection of recommended combinations when she sees the girl she never expected to see again. 

_ What are the chances? _

That girl who sometimes appeared in Bora’s mind at random times of the night is right there. That very same girl with the expressionless face, piercing eyes, and round specs on her face was there, looking at the selection of ichi ramen instant noodles very seriously. 

Bora watches her pick up two packets, nodding resolutely to herself like she just made a life-changing decision. It was then that Bora realizes that this girl is actually quite cute, except for her aloofness. She shakes her head from side to side to snap herself out of her weird thoughts. 

“Get a grip, Kim Bora...” She mumbles to herself, walking to a shelf with her favorite cup ramen. Today, she feels like having something extra spicy to get rid of the stress from the week. Unfortunately for her, the flavor she wants is all the way on the top. Bora gets on her toes to reach for it but it isn’t enough. Suddenly, there was an unfamiliar warmth near her back and a hand reaching out above her to grab the cup she wanted. 

Bora turns around, ready to yell at a potential pervert when she comes face to face with those eyes again. They regard her differently this time, unlike that night. They aren’t exactly warm or friendly but they aren’t disinterested either. 

“You could hurt yourself if you aren’t careful.” The girl says with her head tilted. Her voice was of the husky sort, sending shivers down Bora’s spine. She hands her the cup ramen and resumes waiting at the counter for her food like she didn't just fluster Bora. Bora stares at the cup in her hands, contemplating on just leaving the cafe but she’s really hungry and it’s cheap. 

Bora sighs and brings her head back up. Her eyes catch the cashier squinting at her before looking back at a huge poster on the wall and then at her again. Bora catches on and tugs her mask up higher. Unconsciously, she moves to hide behind the taller university student.

The girl notices her movements and turns back around. “Is everything okay, miss?”

“I-uh...” Bora stutters, unable to get her thoughts together. The other girl must have misunderstood Bora’s fidgety behavior so she took the cup from her hands and offered to pay. 

When Bora tries to protest, the girl shakes her head. “You look like you need it. Don’t worry, I can afford to treat someone else to cheap ramen once in a while.” The girl walks up the counter and gives it to the cashier boy. The boy squints behind the tall girl, causing Bora to look away.

“Is there a problem, sir?”

The boy is startled by the intense look the girl is giving him. “Oh, um, no. I was just wondering about your friend. She looks familiar...”

Bora takes a quick peek at the interaction and is surprised to see the girl narrow her eyebrows. “Even if she does look familiar, you shouldn’t stare like that. You’re making her uncomfortable.”

If Bora wasn’t thankful for the girl before, she sure was now. The boy apologizes and hands them their meals. The girl gestures to the table with a few books and papers scattered about. It was small but it was in the back, which was perfect for Bora. The girl tells Bora to sit on the inside while she sits opposite of her, effectively blocking her from prying eyes. 

“Thanks. For the meal and for earlier.” Bora starts. The girl simply nods and focuses on her noodles, much to Bora’s amusement. Normally, people love to hear how nice a good deed was or ask for more but, this girl didn't seem to care about any of that. It was refreshing in Bora’s constant life of praise and hate.

They both eat in silence for a while, only the sounds of slurping could be heard from their table. Bora usually loves talking and interacting during meal time but for some reason, she found herself comfortable with the silence. 

Bora finishes her meal first and simply takes the time to get a good look at the girl in front of her. Round eyes, pointed nose, and plush lips. And then when the girl finishes her meal, she takes off her glasses to clean them off, Bora finds her breath caught in her throat. Belatedly, Bora realizes that the girl isn’t just cute, she is absolutely breathtaking. She looks like she could be an idol. Bora wonders what a smile on her face would look like. 

“Is that flavor good?” The girl asks. Bora almost missed the question from staring at her pretty face. 

“Yeah. It’s pretty spicy so I only put in half of the sauce packet.” The girl nods so seriously with her eyes affixed onto Bora’s cup that it makes Bora think of a cute husky puppy. The aloof city girl from a few nights ago was slowly melting away in Bora’s mind. 

“I can’t handle spiciness that well but I’m pretty curious...hm, but the noodles being inside a styrofoam cup makes the taste different...I may have to request that they serve it in a bowl...egg and a slice of cheese would enhance the taste, I think.”

Bora’s giggles surface before she could hold them back. “What, are you a ramen connoisseur?” She asks through her giggles. 

The girl looks indignant at Bora’s amusement. “Ramen is greatl You should try it with cheese and egg and you’ll see that it beats any gourmet meal!”

“Alright, alright.” Bora appeases, finding herself smiling genuinely at this girl. “So, what’s your name stranger?”

“Why? So you can make fun of me some more?” The student crosses her arms like a child sulking.

“So I know the name of the best ramen connoisseur in the city.”

The girl deflates a little at the nickname. Bora could see that she was slightly pleased. “Oh. Well, I’m Lee Siyeon. And yours?”

Bora pulls her mask down to test the waters. “You don’t recognize me?”

Siyeon cocks her head like a confused puppy. “Should I? I’m sorry, I’m really bad with names and faces. Do you go to Yonsei University, too?”

Bora can’t stop the smile on her face from growing wider. “Nope, we don’t know each other!” Siyeon is slightly weirded out by Bora’s enthusiastic exclamation at them being total strangers but she goes with it anyways, hoping that she didn't just give out her personal information to a weirdo. 

“Well, Siyeon, it’s very nice to meet you but I have an appointment to catch.” Bora stands and gives her a small wave. Before she leaves, she slips a piece of paper with her number on it, winking at Siyeon’s dumbfounded expression on her way out. Bora knows it’s a risk to be giving her number out to people she just met but Siyeon feels different. 

She hopes her gut isn’t wrong.

\--

It hits Siyeon in the middle of her study session in the library that she never asked for Bora’s name. They’ve been texting back and forth nonstop for the past two weeks and not once did Siyeon think to ask for her name. She liked to think of herself as a very smart person (her top rank in Yonsei’s medical program gave her bragging rights) but, as her sister said, she could be “really dumb when it comes to social matters”.

Being the curious and blunt person that she is, Siyeon texts the other girl immediately. 

**Siyeon:** What is your name?

**xxx-xxx-xxxx:** Huh?

**Siyeon:** I just realized that I don’t know your name.

**Xxx-xxx-xxxx:** ....

**Xxx-xxx-xxxx:** Ah seriously Lee Siyeon. You didn't think to ask a beauty for her name?

**Xxx-xxx-xxxx:** What did you save my number as?

**Siyeon:** ...Nothing. I didn’t save the number under a name.

**Xxx-xxx-xxxx:** -_-

**Xxx-xxx-xxxx:** well maybe if we meet sometime soon, I’ll tell you ;)

**Siyeon:** Okay. Come to the bookstore near the ramen cafe. My shift ends at 8pm.

\--

True to her word, Bora shows up at the bookstore Siyeon works at. The taller girl is sifting through a picture book about the deep sea, completely immersed that she doesn’t even hear Bora sneaking up behind her. 

Cold hands cover her eyes, making her jump and consequently dropping the book she was holding. She turns around, annoyed, before coming face to face with Bora’s shit-eating grin. “Ah, you’re lucky this book isn’t damaged or I’ll have to make you pay for it.” Siyeon grumbles.

“You’ll give me a discount right?” Bora playfully winks at the other girl, laughing as Siyeon narrows her eyes in warning. It was then that Siyeon took notice of Bora’s appearance. The side of her hair was tied up in braids and her makeup was on the smoky side. However, she was wearing a hoodie and sweatpants.

“Did you just come back from a big event or something?”

Bora freezes up for a moment before relaxing. “Or something.” She says with a lopsided smile. “It’s my company’s dress code.” 

“Huh. What kind of company requires a perfect appearance all the time? Must be tough.” Siyeon says as she removes her apron, as if she didn’t just fluster Bora all over again. “I’m going to hang this up and get my stuff. In the meantime, you can read anything you’d like. Just don’t tear anything.”

She walks away, leaving a light blush on Bora’s face. Bora knows that Siyeon doesn’t think much about their interactions. When they texted back and forth, Bora definitely noticed that Siyeon was a rather blunt person. She learned that Siyeon was studying medicine at Yonsei, attesting to her intelligence but, she also learned that Siyeon could surprisingly be scatter-brained, as evidenced by her not knowing Bora’s name. It was endearing in a way. 

Bora passes the time by looking at the book Siyeon was just reading. Some of the pictures of the sea creatures scared her with their clear bodies and gross appearance. If there were things like this hiding in the deep sea, Bora wonders what  _ really _ lies at the bottom. A giant, immortal lobster? Her strange musings are interrupted when Siyeon returns with an overcoat, a scarf, and her bag. “Let’s go? What do you want to do?”

“Get fat on street food? I’ve been craving for days.”

They walk to the nearest stall despite the cold. Neither of them have a car so it’s all they could do. Siyeon laments not checking the weather before suggesting this meetup as she can see that Bora is severely underdressed. 

“Here, take this. It’ll help a bit.” Siyeon holds out her dark blue scarf for Bora to take. Bora is surprised but pleased by her offer. It was freezing cold and her manager and members will definitely scold her if she came back sick. The scarf smelled like a mix of saltwater and wood, and had cute little starfishes printed on it. She guesses that Siyeon really likes the sea.

“Shouldn’t you be offering your padded jacket instead?” Bora teases. Siyeon whips her head towards her with a frown.

“But then _ I _ will be cold...” Bora bursts out laughing at Siyeon’s brutal honesty. It was refreshing. People would normally throw themselves at her slightest inconvenience. Bora knows that most people would kill to have thousands at their beck and call, but not her. It was tiring to always have so many eyes on her.

“Just joking. Come on! I can already taste the delicious rice cakes on my tongue!”

They settle inside the small stall with a few other patrons. Trot music is playing from the old radio and the owner is busy frying up more food. The cook spots them and gives Siyeon a thumbs up.

“You go here often?” Bora asks.

Siyeon nods. “It’s close to school and work. Cheap, too. The only thing that can make it better is if they had ramen on their menu too.” Bora giggles behind her hand. This tall girl was really obsessed with ramen. 

A plate of spicy rice and fish cakes are placed between them. Bora immediately takes a toothpick to enjoy her hot meal. “Ish so good.” She praises with her mouth full. It has been so long since she was able to eat fattening food. 

The two girls chat as they enjoy their meal, not realizing that the night was getting late. By the time they exited the stall, the sky was completely dark and snow was falling. “Hey, how are you getting home?” Bora hears Siyeon ask. 

“My roommate is going to pick me up by the bus. Why?”

“Just asking. I’m taking the bus back so I’ll walk with you.”

Their hands brush for a moment, making Siyeon flinch. “Jesus your hands are cold! Why didn’t you wear gloves?” 

“I was in a rush to meet you.” Bora admits, knowing that pink is spreading across her face. At least she can blame it on the cold though. She glances at Siyeon, only to be surprised by their eyes meeting. (Had she looked a little more closely, she would have seen the blush dusting over Siyeon’s cheeks too.)

“Next time, dress warmly, okay? I don’t want you getting sick.” Siyeon wraps her padding coat and her arms around Bora’s frame in a hug before the smaller girl could tease her again. “For now, this will have to do.”

They stand under the dim streetlights and the falling snow. Bora’s cheeks are flushed from the gesture and close contact with Siyeon. Her face is pressed into the taller girl’s neck and her arms are around her waist. Her heart is beating at such a fast rate that she thinks she’ll pass out soon. Siyeon’s heart was buried under her layers of clothing so she couldn’t tell how the other girl was feeling. She just hoped that the medical student couldn’t feel her heart beating out of control. It feels intimate, like they are wrapped up in their own little cocoon.

“So, are you going to tell me your name now?” Siyeon asks out of the blue, breaking Bora’s mental bubble. 

Bora opens her mouth to answer but her voice gets caught in her throat when she sees the poster on the back of the bus stop. Her own face stares back at her in a seductive gaze. Did Siyeon see it? Was she expecting Bora to lie or tell the truth?

Siyeon pulls back to look at her silent friend. She seems worried and lost in thought. Was her name embarrassing? Or, or a name she didn't like? Is that why she didn't want to tell Siyeon? Maybe she should not ask for her name and give her a nickname instead-

“Bora.”

“Huh?”

Bora giggles, feeling some sort of relief at telling Siyeon her birth name. It seems the taller girl didn't know her identity after all, if her worried gaze was anything to go by. “My name is Bora, silly.” She bops Siyeon on her cute nose, smiling at the dumbfounded expression on her face. 

“Bora.” Siyeon repeats, testing the sound of it on her tongue. It’s a pretty name. Reminds her of a purple stinger.

“A purple what now?”

_ Did I just say that out loud? _

“Yes, you did.” Siyeon looks Bora in the eyes, seeing her amusement at her apparent embarrassment. “What is a purple stinger?”

“Jellyfish.” 

“So I remind you of a jellyfish?” Bora raises her eyebrows mockingly. She knows Siyeon meant no harm. 

Siyeon sputters while trying to salvage the situation. “I-I didn’t mean...your name means purple and purple reminds me of those jellyfish...not that it’s a bad thing! Purple stingers are dangerous to humans! Not that I’m saying you’re dangerous! You aren’t...I think. They’re quite nice to look at though! Okay, I’m going to be quiet now...” 

Bora laughs out loud, signalling that she isn’t offended in any way. If anything, she’s having fun with how Siyeon loses her composure for the first time. She doesn’t resist bopping Siyeon on her reddened nose before seeing a familiar black van at the corner of her eye. 

“My ride's here and don’t worry, I’m not upset.” Siyeon slowly releases her from her coat. Bora immediately feels the cold so Siyeon urges her to get inside her car.

“See you next time?”

“Of course. Catch you later, jellyfish!”

\--

**Bora <3:** I still have your scarf ;_; im sorry i forgot to give it back

**Jellyfish:** No worries. I have more so you can keep that one.

**Jellyfish:** Also, is this heart necessary?

**Bora <3:** YES if you remove it our friendship is over Lee >:(

**Jellyfish:** I’ll keep it then. Go to sleep now. It’s getting late. 

**Bora <3: ** Sleep well jellyfish! Gn

**Jellyfish:** Good night Bora.


	2. jellyfish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Siyeon and Bora grow a little closer.

  
  


Siyeon has no idea where to go when she enters the music broadcasting station. She hoped to see a familiar face when she arrived but no one was at the lobby. She pulls out her phone to check for messages but the signal here is terrible and her sister never read her last message. 

“Excuse me, where can I find the music broadcast waiting rooms?” She asks the woman at the front counter, only to be met with suspicion. “I have this authorization.” Siyeon holds up a tag that her sister asked her to print before coming here. The receptionist takes the tag and scans it before gruffly telling her the right way to go. 

The med student makes her way through the maze that is the broadcasting station. There are lines and lines of posters of idols that Siyeon only remembers in passing. None in particular catches her eye, as she typically doesn’t listen to any idol music. 

She arrives at the door with the name of her sister’s group on it and knocks gently. “Yoohyeon?”

\--

Bora runs through the hall with a grin on her face. She’s sweaty and her limbs feel like dead weight but she’s happier than ever. How could she not be, when her group just finished their last stage for this promotion cycle? They killed that last stage and ended with a bang. Nothing could make her happier than performing together with her team and the fans. 

“Sua unnie! Slow down!” Handong, their youngest, yells from behind her. 

Bora turns around with the biggest grin. “C’mon Dongdong! The sooner you and hag Minji change, the sooner we can go have a barbecue!” Bora laughs when she sees Minji grumbling behind Handong but she doesn’t bother waiting for them. The adrenaline from the performance was still coursing through her veins, making her unable to stay still. 

She rounds the corner leading back to their dressing room, pausing in shock when she sees the one person she never expected to see here. She quickly hides behind the wall and rubs her eyes with her hands despite knowing that there is nothing medically wrong with her vision. But there she is, leaning coolly against a wall. 

Siyeon’s chic expression and long coat makes her look like a character straight out of a manga. Her bangs are pushed to the side, revealing her forehead. In short, Siyeon looks cooler than usual. 

Her face is as impassive as ever but then something incredible happens. The door in front of her opens, revealing a girl with brown hair and a wide smile. Bora recognizes her to be Yoohyeon, a member of her company’s newest girl group and one of her favorite juniors (to annoy, lovingly of course). 

Bora watches their interaction with interest as they seem to know each other. 

“Unnie! What took you so long?” Yoohyeon whines cutely as she bounces up to Siyeon.

“Sorry, I had to go get the car. And I got lost in here.”

Yoohyeon giggles. “Ah, unnie, you’re like a goldfish when it comes to anything outside of school.” The younger girl proceeds to imitate fish lips while failing miserably at it. But then she’s all smiles again, making a stupidly bright expression that her fans love so much.

It is cute, Bora has to admit, but nothing could top what she sees next. 

The corners of Siyeon’s lips twitched into a small smile. The upper half of her face barely moved but she smiled! 

And even though Bora is just watching from the side, that doesn’t stop her from feeling something fuzzy in her stomach. That’s the first time she has ever seen Siyeon smile. Sure, it’s small but it’s like watching the sun rise over the mountains after a snow-storm. Or maybe it’s more like watching a flower blooming before her eyes. Bora could come up with cheesy analogies all day but none of them would be adequate enough to describe Siyeon’s smile. Bora doesn’t even care that she is being dramatic over one person’s facial expression. 

_ When did I become such a sap? _ Bora thinks to herself. 

She’s broken out of her stupor by Minji slapping a hand to her back. “What’s gotten into you? Why did you suddenly stop running?” Bora takes a quick peek back, seeing that Siyeon and Yoohyeon are already walking her way. 

In her panic, Bora runs to the bathroom, loudly yelling to everyone within a one mile radius, “I have explosive diarrhea! Goodbye!” 

\--

**Bora <3:** Busy today? Want to hang out?

**Jellyfish:** Sorry, I’m with my sister right now. We’re heading home to have dinner with our parents. Another time?

**Bora <3: ** oh i didn't know you had a sister. She’s younger?

**Jellyfish:** Yes. Haven’t seen her in a while because of her work.

**Bora <3: ** No worries! enjoy your time together. we can hang some other time

**Jellyfish:** Sure. Let me know.

\--

Siyeon opens the door to her apartment, not expecting the girl in front of her to be carrying a mountain of snacks. “Bora, we’re having a movie marathon, not feeding a family of ten.”

“Not just any marathon! Ghibli! We need good snacks!” Bora exclaims as she lays all her goods on Siyeon’s small kitchen counter. She digs around in the pile before pulling something out. “Look what I got!”

Siyeon’s eyes lock into the snack. “Octopus bites...” Bora giggles at the child-like wonder in Siyeon’s eyes. The younger girl can’t seem to look away from the snack as if it were pure gold itself. Bora even moves her hand back and forth, watching as Siyeon’s eyes follow like a cat’s.

“Cute. Here, it’s all yours.” Bora hands her the bites to which she clutches closely to her chest like someone is going to steal it. 

They settle on the floor in front of the TV with the first movie already loaded. Siyeon pulls the throw blanket over both of them and settles the octopus bites on her lap. She can’t believe that Bora managed to find these. She hasn’t had these since she was a kid and she knows that the company that makes these was bought out years ago. They were her favorite childhood snack. 

Before Bora could start the movie, Siyeon grips her arm weakly. Bora looks over to her with her eyebrows raised. “...Thank you.” Siyeon says in a small, cute voice. Siyeon flushes lightly, not used to having a friend in her home, bringing her something she offhandedly mentioned, and watching movies with her. Bora finds herself melting at the cuteness.

Bora doesn’t restrain herself and throws her arms around the taller girl in a hug. She rocks them back and forth while cooing at Siyeon.“You’re welcome!”

-

-

Of all the places Bora expects to see Yoohyeon, Siyeon’s apartment was on the low end of her list. Realistically, Siyeon said that they are sisters so seeing Yoohyeon here shouldn’t have been a surprise. Yet, Bora failed to factor in the younger idol possibly showing up here and exposing her identity. 

It was another one of their movie nights. Bora suggested it after talking to the younger on the phone and hearing how tired she was. Bora herself finally finished all her schedules for her group’s promotion cycle, which meant she had a few days of vacation. Minji and Handong questioned where she was going to spend it but Bora was not ready to tell them about her new friend just yet. 

(“I hope you aren’t doing anything illegal...” Minji had said with skepticism coloring her tone.

“I’m not, I’m not! Have a nice break girls!” Bora ran out the door haphazardly, excited to see Siyeon after a long two months. )

When Bora gets to Siyeon’s apartment, the medical student looks like she was on the verge of passing out. Dark eye circles, unkempt clothes, textbook marks on her cheek are all signs of a tired medical student. Still, Siyeon tries to humor Bora as long as possible.

“You can watch the movie. I still need to complete my research paper. I’ll be over here if you need me.” Siyeon settles back into the seat she has been stuck in since the morning. 

“Nooo! I want to watch something with you! I haven’t seen you in a while and all you want to do is study?!” Bora huffs in faux anger. She knows how important Siyeon’s education is to her. After all, the younger girl is on her way to becoming a bonafide doctor. Nothing about her path is easy, nor will it ever be, so Bora just wants to help her relax when she can. 

“I don’t but I need to submit this tomorrow...” Siyeon replies in a downtrodden manner, making Bora feel like she just kicked a puppy. The older girl’s shoulders sag and she sighs before wrapping her arms around Siyeon’s midsection.

“Okay...I’ll at least keep you company until you finish.” Bora mumbles against the junction of the younger girl’s shoulders. 

Siyeon turns back slightly to see the top of Bora’s head. “Are you sure? It’s going to be boring and your limbs might go numb if you stay in this position for a long time...” She feels Bora’s smile growing through the fabric of her sweatshirt. What, did Bora like having limbs that she couldn't feel?

Siyeon is just too sweet for worrying about her. 

The idol resumes her position against Siyeon’s warm back, prompting Siyeon to continue writing her paper. The room was silent minus their breathing and Siyeon’s pen scraping against the paper. The constant background noise, dim lights, and warmth were lulling Bora to sleep. Normally, she would need to exercise or practice some dance moves before going to sleep, a direct result of her being such a high-tensioned person. However, none of that energy is present now. Instead of a raging whirlpool, there are only calm waves residing in her. 

\--

“Sua unnie?!”

“Shhhhh! She’s sleeping!” Bora was quick to place her hands over Siyeon’s ear. Thankfully, the younger girl was in deep sleep despite the noise. Bora sighs in relief and then carefully turns her gaze to Yoohyeon. 

“Uh, I can explain?” She winces under Yoohyeon’s disbelieving stare. She really wishes that she had better hindsight than this but she also did not want to risk getting caught outside. The last thing she needed was the press catching wind and making Siyeon uncomfortable. 

Bora tries to unlatch Siyeon from her but the taller girl is not having it. 

“Bora...” Siyeon frowns as she feels her personal heater moving around. She managed to turn in her paper yesterday night so she really just wants to sleep the rest of the day away. Bora softens and decides to let Siyeon wrap around her like a jellyfish.

She meets Yoohyeon’s eyes again and winces. “Uh, I can explain?” she repeats in a whisper this time. She keeps her hand over Siyeon’s ear, confident that she already drifted back to dreamland.

The withering glare Yoohyeon gives her reminds her of an upset puppy but that doesn’t mean she isn't nervous. This was Siyeon’s younger sister, after all. Even if the two already know each other, Bora still wants to make a good impression. 

“Explain.” Yoohyeon says as she taps her foot on the floor. Bora proceeds to tell the younger all about how she met her sister and how she knows nothing of her occupation. By the end of it, Bora’s sure that her face is on fire. 

“So...what you’re telling me is that...you like my sister? As in...like  _ like _ ?”

Bora thinks her face couldn’t get any redder but apparently, she is wrong. She nods timidly despite herself but she did want to be honest. She really likes Siyeon - there was no denying her feelings. The taller girl is gorgeous and a total sweetheart, even if she can be scatter-brained at times. 

“Is...is that okay?” Yoohyeon never thought that she would ever see Bora look so meek like she wants to hide away. Quite different from the senior that taught her how to dance and gave her variety show tips. 

Yoohyeon softens up and smiles disarmingly. “Of course it’s okay. Love is love. In fact, I’m happy that you’re making sure her head is out of her books. She’s smart but I worry that she’s neglecting the real world when she’s buried in her books.”

Bora beams back at the younger idol, relieved. “Want to cuddle? Siyeon doesn’t look like she’s going to let me go any time soon. I’ll cook breakfast for you too, if you stay.” Eh, it couldn't hurt to bribe her a little bit, right?

“I’ll never say no to free food, Sua unnie.”

“Call me Bora unnie.” Yoohyeon grins endearingly and hugs her sister from the other side. Bora chuckles and shakes her head. They look nothing alike but their personalities are more similar than different. 

Bora watches as both girls fall asleep and grins. “Two puppies.”

\--

“Bora, this is Yoohyeon, my baby sister.” Siyeon introduces.

“Who is taller than you.” Yoohyeon quips, avoiding Siyeon’s weak punch. 

“And Yooh, this is Bora, my friend.”

“I know.”

“You know?” Siyeon gives her a weird look. 

“Uh, I mean I know now! I met her earlier when I came in!” Yoohyeon stutters as Bora slaps a hand to her own face. Yoohyeon is a little too clumsy for her own good. All the trouble Bora has gone through so far to keep her identity hidden will go down the drain at this rate. 

Luckily, she’s saved by both Siyeon’s and Yoohyeon’s stomachs growling at the same time. They both blush an endearing shade of red and sheepishly scratch the backs of their necks at the same time. 

“Breakfast?”

“Yes please.” they chorus in unison.

The three sit at Siyeon’s small dining table and dig into the delicious food Bora cooked. Yoohyeon eats like she hasn’t eaten in days while Siyeon eats at the pace of a snail, probably because she’s still tired. 

“So, Yooh, why are you here?” Siyeon asks after she downs a cup of orange juice. 

Yoohyeon perks up with an obvious excitement. “I’m on break before our next promotion cycle starts!” 

“Oh? Are you going to visit our parents?”

“Yes! But I wanted to see you first before I go but it seems like I didn't need to.” Yoohyeon says as she wiggles her eyebrows at Bora. Bora blushes while Siyeon just looks at her sister weirdly. 

“Why would I not want you here?” She cocks her head to the side, confused. Yoohyeon feels laughter bubbling but she holds it in. Now she understands how Bora has been able to keep her idol status a secret. Her older sister is an oblivious idiot. 

“Ahahaha nothing, nothing!” Bora swears Yoohyeon’s awkward laughter is going to be the death of her. “Anyways, I’m going out today to get that tattoo I was talking about. Will you come with me?”

“You know mom is going to kill you, right? And your management.”

“Well, mom doesn’t have to know and the company is okay with it as long as I can cover it if needed.” Yoohyeon brings out her best puppy eyes to convince her sister to tag along. As much as she wants a tattoo, she’s also very afraid of needles and having her sister to hold her hand seems like a great idea. 

\--

As Bora watches Yoohyeon get tattooed, a thought crosses her mind. “Hey, Siyeon? Ever thought of getting one?”

“A tattoo? Once, but I know my parents won’t like it so I didn't think about it again.” Siyeon replies in the middle of getting her hand crushed by Yoohyeon. 

Bora leaves it at that. The design that Yoohyeon picked out to be etched on her ribs is coming out beautifully and very much Yoohyeon-like. She could almost see the slight envy in Siyeon’s eyes. Ever since they became closer, Bora finds it easy to read what’s in the younger girl’s eyes. She may not be expressive on the outside but Siyeon is surprisingly expressive through her eyes. Right now, Bora knows that Siyeon feels a little suffocated from all the things that are expected of her and from all the things that she cannot have. 

Bora reaches over to hold Siyeon’s free hand and resolves to do something fun for the day to take her mind off of things. 

\--

After Yoohyeon leaves, Bora drags Siyeon out for a night of fun. 

“I need to study for the-”

“Singsing! You’ve been studying all week and I know for a fact that your next exam is on Friday.”

Siyeon is shocked. “You remember that?” She remembers mentioning it off-handedly to Bora in a text like two weeks ago. 

“Of course I remember!” Bora leads them further through the park that goes to the Han River. 

Siyeon stands there, still shocked that the older girl remembers something so trivial to her. She must’ve been so busy at her own work and yet she still… Siyeon feels her heart warming with a fondness that she only ever feels for Yoohyeon when the younger girl is being cute. 

Noticing that Siyeon stopped following her, Bora turns back confusedly. “Jellyfish?” She jogs back and holds one of Siyeon’s hands. Thankfully, the weather has gotten a little warmer so they didn’t need gloves. Of course, Bora is still wearing her mask and a hat to hide most of her face. 

Siyeon allows herself to be led to who knows where and it scares her a bit that she’s allowing Bora to take her wherever she pleases. On the other hand, she feels safe knowing that it’s Bora. And maybe a little thrilled that they are going on another adventure. 

However, Bora surprises her even more when she walks straight over the bridge that overlooks the river to go to a busy street that they were at earlier this afternoon. The tattoo parlor’s neon sign is lit, surrounded by many other shops and restaurants. 

Just as Siyeon thinks Bora will go into the tattoo shop again, she makes a beeline for the stairs of that building. They arrive on the second floor to a billiards store. 

“Ever played before?” Bora asks after they are led into a private playing room. Siyeon feels completely out of place standing there with a cue stick in her hand. 

“No...”

Bora throws her hands up in the air and laughs. “Me neither! But I’ve always wanted to try, so here we are!” It is so very like Bora to do things spontaneously, Siyeon is learning. The last time they hung out, Bora wanted to buy the biggest bowl of frozen yogurt at 12 AM and she really went and got it. 

Siyeon has to admit, Bora’s spontaneity is something she actually likes a lot. She’s been able to experience more things in the few months they’ve been friends than she ever has in her 25 years of life. 

Playing billiards by completely botching the rules and cheating to get the numbered balls into the pockets is one such experience. 

“Don’t be so stiff!” Bora encourages as Siyeon tries to calculate the angle of her shot. 

“But I want to win...”

“The important thing is having fun, Siyeon! Not winning!” Bora says as she innocently knocks one ball into the pocket with the cue ball and nudges another with the back of her cue stick. She celebrates getting a “double shot” despite her very blatant cheating. 

Siyeon scoffs in disbelief before using the entire length of her cue stick to sweep the rest of the balls into the pocket, “winning” her the game. When she looks up, Bora is staring at her with incredulity before breaking out into a loud belly laugh. 

Hearing Bora laugh is somehow so liberating and infectious that Siyeon can’t help but laugh along. The idol goes to tickle Siyeon on the couch, wanting to hear more of her unrestrained happiness.

“Didn’t think you had it in you, Jellyfish.” Bora says, a hint of  _ something _ else coloring her voice. 

Smiling adorably, Siyeon replies, “I’m learning.” 

_ Learning how to live a little, like you _ . She leaves unsaid. 

\--

**Jellyfish:** Bora? Do you have time for a call?

_ Bora <3 is calling… _

_ “Hey.” _

_ “Hi Siyeon! What’s up? You never called me before.” _

_ “Nothing much.” _

_ “Wha-” _

_ “Just wanted to hear your voice.” _

\--

**Author's Note:**

> Floofy suayeon :D
> 
> Find me on twt @bleubub
> 
> https://ko-fi.com/bleutea


End file.
